Microsoft apologizes for Windows Phone update mess

Microsoft’s first update to Windows Phone 7 devices has not gone smoothly. First it was delayed several times, then a preliminary patch began bricking some phones, and now many users still haven’t received the promised upgrade, which will allow copying/pasting on WP7 devices, among other things. The problem has gotten so bad that Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore has apologized for the mess in a comment on Microsoft’s developer site, reports Ina Fried.

“Many of you are making critical comments here which are certainly fair,” wites Belfiore. “First, I was wrong when I said “most people have received the February update.” There are many of you who have yet to receive it, and I don’t blame you for speaking up and pointing out my mistake. Second, I referred to our updates as “complete” because I was thinking of the internal process where we pass completed software to another group who delivers them – but of course no update is complete until you all have it. Plus, at the time I did the interview we had started the NoDo (“march update”) delivery process and I knew “it was going well” from our perspective: people were officially getting it, the success rate of its deployment on real-world phones was looking good, and we were happy that the process had STARTED well. Still—these are NOT the same as all of you getting it and I’m sorry that I came across as insensitive to that fact.”

Belfiore goes on to agree with users that Microsoft has been too quiet and vague on what is in updates, when they are coming, and addressing problems. Top Windows commentators, like Paul Thurrot, have been openly upset about Microsoft’s lack of communication on updates since Windows Phone launched in Nov. 2010. Thurrot, who author an ongoing guide to Windows Phone, claims that Microsoft is hurting itself immensely by not updating its OS or even revealing a full list of features coming in the March “NoDo” update.